Responding to the needs of medical laboratory professionals: The CSMLS Mental Health Toolkit

Abstract

Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) is Canada’s national certifying body and professional society for medical laboratory professionals. Their research revealed increasing levels of workplace stress among their membership and concerns regarding burnout. The implications of ignoring this trend could have led to significant workplace issues and concerns with medical laboratory testing and analysis. Consequently, CSMLS developed the Mental Health Toolkit, a dynamic website featuring mental health concepts, self-assessment tools, coping skills, and strategies to better manage stress. The Mental Health Toolkit is available free to CSMLS members. It was used as a resource for mental health by medical laboratory professionals during the height of the COVID pandemic. CSMLS continues to embrace education and awareness regarding mental health to help address stigma among medical laboratory professionals.

Keywords

• medical laboratory
• healthcare
• mental health
• stress
• burnout